Quick Answers
- Deed doc stamps are different here: Miami-Dade is the only Florida county that does not charge $0.70 per $100. Single-family homes, condo units, and co-op units pay $0.60 per $100; all other property pays $0.60 plus a $0.45 surtax, or $1.05 per $100.
- Who pays deed stamps: The seller, by custom, on resales. On a $500,000 condo or house, that is $3,000.
- Owner's title insurance: The buyer customarily pays in Miami-Dade, the opposite of Palm Beach and most other Florida counties. On a $500,000 purchase the premium is $2,575.
- Lender's title policy: $25 when issued with the owner's policy, for coverage up to the purchase price.
- Mortgage taxes: A financed buyer pays $0.35 per $100 of the loan in note stamps plus 2 mills of intangible tax. On a $400,000 loan, that is $2,200 combined.
- Association costs: Most Miami-Dade buyers are buying into a condo or HOA, so estoppel certificates, approval fees, and building inspection reports matter more here than almost anywhere in Florida.
- Overall: Buyers commonly pay about 2 to 5 percent of the price in closing costs; sellers commonly pay about 6 to 8 percent including commissions.
Buying or Selling in Miami-Dade?
We handle closings and title insurance for Miami-Dade buyers and sellers, residential and commercial.
Miami-Dade closings run on different rules than the rest of Florida in two ways that move real money. The county has its own documentary stamp rate on deeds, with a surtax on anything that is not a single-family residence. And local custom flips who pays for the owner's title insurance policy: in Miami-Dade, the buyer customarily pays for it and chooses the closing agent, while in Palm Beach and most other Florida counties the seller does. Add the county's large share of condominium sales, with their association approvals, estoppels, and post-Surfside inspection reports, and a Miami-Dade closing statement can look quite different from one an hour north. This guide breaks down what buyers and sellers actually pay, line by line.
What Buyers Pay at a Miami-Dade Closing
Buyer-side costs depend mostly on whether the purchase is financed and whether the property is in an association.
| Buyer cost | Typical amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Owner's title insurance | $2,575 on $500,000 | Customarily paid by the buyer in Miami-Dade. Set by Florida's promulgated rates. |
| Lender's title insurance | $25 | When issued with the owner's policy, for coverage up to the purchase price. |
| Doc stamps on the mortgage note | $0.35 per $100 of the loan | $1,400 on a $400,000 loan. |
| Intangible tax on the mortgage | 2 mills ($2 per $1,000) | $800 on a $400,000 loan. |
| Loan origination and lender fees | 0.5 to 1 percent of the loan | Shown on the Loan Estimate. |
| Appraisal | $500 to $1,000 | Required by most lenders. |
| Inspections | $400 to $800 | General, wind mitigation, and four point inspections for insurance. |
| Association application and approval fees | $100 to $500 | Varies by association. Some buildings also charge capital contributions at transfer. |
| Recording fees | $50 to $200 | Paid to the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller to record the deed and mortgage. |
| Title search, closing, and settlement fees | Varies by provider | Not set by the rate rule; must appear separately on the closing statement. |
What Sellers Pay at a Miami-Dade Closing
| Seller cost | Typical amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Doc stamps on the deed | $0.60 per $100 for single-family, condo, or co-op; $1.05 per $100 for other property | $3,000 on a $500,000 condo or house; $5,250 on a $500,000 duplex, commercial property, or vacant lot. |
| Real estate commissions | Negotiated | Since the 2024 national settlement, buyer's agent compensation is negotiated separately. |
| Association estoppel certificate | Up to $299 plus vendor fees | Plus $119 for delivery within 3 business days and $179 if the account is delinquent. |
| Mortgage payoff and satisfaction | Loan balance plus recording | Ordered by the closing agent. |
| Property tax proration | Varies | Florida taxes are paid in arrears, so the seller usually credits the buyer. |
| Municipal lien search and open permit closeout | Around $350 for the search | Often negotiated; open permits are common in older Miami-Dade properties. |
Miami-Dade's Documentary Stamp Rate, Explained
Every other Florida county charges $0.70 per $100 of the price on a deed. Miami-Dade charges $0.60 per $100, a rate that was grandfathered when the state rate increased, and adds a discretionary surtax of $0.45 per $100 on deeds for property other than a single-family residence. For this purpose, a single-family residence includes a detached home, a condominium unit, and a co-op unit. So most residential resales in Miami-Dade pay $0.60, while duplexes and larger multifamily buildings, commercial property, and vacant land pay $1.05.
| Price | Single-family, condo, or co-op ($0.60) | Other property ($1.05) | Any other Florida county ($0.70) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $300,000 | $1,800 | $3,150 | $2,100 |
| $500,000 | $3,000 | $5,250 | $3,500 |
| $1,000,000 | $6,000 | $10,500 | $7,000 |
| $2,500,000 | $15,000 | $26,250 | $17,500 |
The seller customarily pays deed stamps on resales. On new construction, developer contracts often shift them to the buyer, so buyers of pre-construction units should read that clause before signing.
Title Insurance: The Miami-Dade Custom Is Reversed
Florida law does not assign title insurance to either side; the contract does, and the contract usually follows county custom. In Miami-Dade, the custom is that the buyer pays for the owner's title insurance policy and chooses the closing agent. In Palm Beach County and most other counties in Florida, the seller does both. The premium itself is the same everywhere in Florida, because rates are promulgated by state rule: $2,575 on a $500,000 policy. You can run your own numbers with our Florida title insurance calculator.
Because the buyer pays, the buyer also has the most to gain from the reissue rate. If the seller bought within the last 3 years and has the prior owner's policy, the premium on a $500,000 purchase drops from $2,575 to $1,530.
Condo and HOA Costs in Miami-Dade
Condominiums make up a large share of Miami-Dade sales, and they add costs and documents that single-family purchases often do not.
- Estoppel certificate. The association's statement of what the seller owes, due within 10 business days of a request, with fees capped at $299 plus statutory surcharges for rush delivery or a delinquent account.
- Approval and application fees. Many Miami-Dade associations must approve the buyer, and some charge capital contributions at transfer.
- Inspection and reserve reports. Condo buyers are entitled to the association's documents and, where they exist, the milestone inspection summary and structural integrity reserve study, with a short statutory window to cancel after receiving them.
- Special assessments. Post-Surfside repair assessments can be large. The contract should say whether assessments levied before closing are the seller's or the buyer's.
Property Taxes: Proration and the Reset After a Sale
Florida property taxes are paid in arrears. Bills go out in November for the current calendar year, so at most closings the year's taxes have not been paid yet. The closing statement prorates them: the seller credits the buyer for the part of the year the seller owned the property, usually based on the prior year's bill.
The bigger issue for buyers is what happens next year. A seller with a homestead exemption has had the taxable value capped by Florida's Save Our Homes limit, sometimes for many years. That cap does not transfer to the buyer. After a sale, the property is reassessed at market value as of January 1 of the following year, and the buyer's first full tax bill can be far higher than the seller's. Buyers should budget from the purchase price, not the seller's tax bill, and apply for their own homestead exemption if the home will be their primary residence.
Buyers moving from Palm Beach County often assume the seller covers title insurance, as it does there. In Miami-Dade the buyer customarily pays, so an offer written on Palm Beach assumptions can leave the buyer with a $2,000 to $5,000 line item they did not budget for.
The flip side is control. Because the Miami-Dade buyer usually chooses the closing agent, the buyer can choose an attorney, ask the seller for a prior owner's policy to qualify for the reissue rate, and make sure the condo's inspection and reserve documents are reviewed before the cancellation window closes.
Worked Example: A $500,000 Miami-Dade Condo
Here are the statutory and title items on a $500,000 condo purchase with a $400,000 loan, following Miami-Dade custom. Commissions, lender fees, inspections, and association charges are not included.
| Item | Buyer | Seller |
|---|---|---|
| Owner's title insurance | $2,575 | |
| Lender's title insurance (simultaneous) | $25 | |
| Doc stamps on the deed ($0.60) | $3,000 | |
| Doc stamps on the note | $1,400 | |
| Intangible tax | $800 | |
| Total of these items | $4,800 | $3,000 |
The same purchase in Palm Beach would shift the $2,575 owner's policy to the seller and raise deed stamps to $3,500. In Broward, the buyer still customarily pays for the owner's policy, but deed stamps rise to $3,500. See Broward County closing costs and West Palm Beach closing costs for comparison.
Closing on a Miami-Dade property?
Kelley, Grant & Tanis handles residential and commercial closings and issues title insurance for Miami-Dade transactions, with Jerron Kelley leading the firm's real estate and title practice. Call (561) 672-1161 or contact the firm. Related reading: what title insurance covers and municipal lien searches.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are documentary stamps on a deed in Miami-Dade?
$0.60 per $100 of the price for a single-family residence, which includes condo and co-op units. Other property, such as duplexes, commercial property, and vacant land, pays $0.60 plus a $0.45 surtax, for $1.05 per $100.
Who pays for title insurance in Miami-Dade?
By Miami-Dade custom, the buyer pays for the owner's title insurance policy and usually chooses the closing agent. That is the opposite of Palm Beach and most other counties in Florida, where the seller customarily pays. The contract controls, and the allocation is negotiable.
Who pays documentary stamps on the deed in Miami-Dade?
The seller customarily pays on resales. On new construction, developer contracts often shift deed stamps to the buyer, so pre-construction buyers should check that clause.
How much are closing costs for a buyer in Miami-Dade?
Commonly about 2 to 5 percent of the price. On a $500,000 financed purchase, the owner's and lender's title policies plus mortgage taxes alone come to about $4,800, before lender fees, inspections, and association charges.
How much are closing costs for a seller in Miami-Dade?
Commonly about 6 to 8 percent including commissions. The largest non-commission item is usually deed stamps, $3,000 on a $500,000 condo or house, plus any estoppel, payoff, and tax proration amounts.
Does the Miami-Dade surtax apply to condos?
No. The $0.45 surtax does not apply to a deed conveying a single-family residence, and Florida law treats a condominium unit or co-op unit as a single-family residence for this purpose.
How much is an HOA or condo estoppel in Miami-Dade?
Florida caps the fee at $299, with $119 more for delivery within 3 business days and $179 more if the account is delinquent. The association must deliver it within 10 business days of a request.
Can a Miami-Dade buyer get a discount on title insurance?
Often. If the seller's owner's policy was issued less than 3 years earlier and a copy is available, the reissue rate applies, which cuts the premium on a $500,000 purchase from $2,575 to $1,530.
Where are deeds recorded in Miami-Dade?
With the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, which records deeds, mortgages, and satisfactions in the county's official records. The closing agent handles recording after closing.